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Slag
History Slag was born a prodigy to an upper-middle class family in Bumfuck Nowhere, Oregon. As Martin Aster, he learned to read before first grade and his intuitive grasp of mathematics afforded him the opportunity to skip the third grade. As time went on, however, he found his natural affinity fading; those classmates of his who actually devoted time and effort to their studies were far surpassing him. After a string of failures, Martin finally dropped out of high school at the age of 17. He spent nearly a decade homeless, drifting between small towns before finding a "permanent" residence under an overpass in Denver. There he would imbibe on almost every drug imaginable, nursing his battered ego with cheap fortified wines and handfuls of cough medicine pills. This constant string of substance abuse diminished what was left of his once-impressive cognitive ability. Pre-Virus, the homeless were often victims of frequent battery (whether cruel, more fortunate people or their homeless colleagues, desperate to survive), and Martin was no exception. He learned very early that we are all fundamentally very alone, and as such he adapted to be self-reliant in the only way he was capable: he became a petty criminal, a thief and a mugger. While his wit was no longer as sharp as it once was, he became a veritable encyclopedia of street-smarts, able to pick out and strike vulnerable, profitable targets with astounding skill and accuracy. In short, he was very, very good at figuring out the who's, when's and how's of hoboshanking for fun and profit. Martin was utterly indifferent to the threat of almost certain death at the hands of the virus, having no real plans for the future at any point in his life. When he realized he was to survive, however, he found great power in the abandoned ruins of the once-great city he inhabited. Dumpsters full of trash quivered at his touch. He could see through refuse as though it were glass, hear all around as though a discarded cup were a second pair of ears. With a thought, a trashy servant sprang forth to follow his every command. With enough concentration, he could even bend and shake the foundations of entire skyscrapers. He felt a great affinity for all that was useless or abandoned, two traits he had seen in himself for so very long. Whereabouts and Habits Though his abilities changed, his general lifestyle did not. He bides his time in old junkyards, industrial parks and landfills, preying on those he believes to be of lesser powers. He swims through the piles of trash that almost invariably blanket his urban homes (by his own design or through the super-powered battles that so frequently occur) like a shark in water, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. It is for this reason that somewhat of an urban legend has sprung up around his person; he has been dubbed Slag by the locals (a name he apparently embraces), and many mistakenly identify him as a mindless monster. Powers and Abilities His primary ability is Garbage Manipulation. The garbage in Slag's immediate vicinity (a hundred yards or so, give or take) almost acts like an extension of his body, and he can manipulate it with great ease. What might be an autonomous sentinel at one instant may be part of a tidal wave of trash the next. With a thought, he can create a whirling funnel of broken bottles, or a platform to cushion a fall from a great height. One of his more taxing abilities is Ferrokinetic Combat. In stressful situations, he can make nigh-impenetrable armor out of almost anything metallic. He likes to call himself "The Junkyard King" because of his ability to construct giant suits of living armor out of old cars. In a pinch, he can will the supports of a skyscraper to give, collapsing entire buildings on his enemies' heads. Morality He's a dick. He's not EVIL, but he's still a wanker. He'd steal the watch off of a dead guy, but he wouldn't piss on him afterwards. Category:Loner Category:Male Category:Garbage Manipulation Category:Ferrokinetic Combat